City of Columbia, Missouri  
701 E. Broadway  
Columbia, Missouri  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Thursday, January 8, 2026  
3:00 PM  
Regular  
City Hall  
Council Chambers  
701 East Broadway  
Columbia, Missouri  
Disabilities Commission  
I. CALL TO ORDER  
Ann Marie Gortmaker called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.  
(John Bowders, Hazel Fields, Koda Inman-Ahlstrom, Richard Perkins, Ken  
Rice appeared virtually)  
Staff Present: Adam Kruse, Cody Moore  
No members of the public appeared in person. No members of the public  
appeared virtually.  
II. INTRODUCTIONS  
Statement by Chair on Virtual Participation  
Ann Marie Gortmaker makes a statement on virtual participation and  
reminds members to keep their cameras on and to speak in to the  
microphone.  
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
Commission discussed the agenda.  
Alexis Simmerman made a motion to approve the agenda. Marlee Walz  
seconded the motion. All in favor; motion approved.  
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
DRAFT December 11, 2025 Disabilities Commission Meeting Minutes  
Commission discussed the December minutes. The Commission wished  
to amend the minutes to correct the misspelling of “Joseph” in New  
Business under the portion on Missouri Commission on Human Rights  
Training, and to correct the roman numerals for the sections which are  
incorrect.  
Alexis Simmerman made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Ken  
Rice seconded the motion. All in favor; motion approved.  
V. SPECIAL ITEMS  
Cody Moore, Graphic Artist in the City's Communication Division, to talk to  
the Commission about draft logos for the DawnZ Award  
Cody Moore presented three draft logos for the Dawn Z Business  
Accessibility Award. The Commission discussed the three logos.  
Commission members provided feedback that the logos looked good and  
one idea might be to combine two drafts, in particular the one with the  
modern international accessibility symbol and the draft with the pedestrian  
safety flag. Cody Moore said that she would work on a new draft logo with  
that feedback in mind.  
VI. OLD BUSINESS  
Update on the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) Training  
with the Columbia Human Rights Commission  
Adam Kruse and Joseph Facteau provided an update. This is a proposed  
outreach event to bring MCHR to Columbia and provide an educational  
event on accessibility and disability etiquette that is open to anyone in the  
public. The event is expected to take place in March or April.  
VII. NEW BUSINESS  
Commission's Annual Report to City Council - Review & Discuss Draft of  
2025 Activities  
Ann Marie Gortmaker and John Bowders discuss a draft document for the  
Commission to send to City Council as an annual report. The Commission  
discussed the proposed annual report.  
John Bowders made a motion to send the annual report to City Council. Richard  
Perkins seconded the motion. All in favor; motion approved.  
2026 Draft Speaker Schedule for Commission Meetings - updated  
January 2026  
The Commission discussed the proposed speaker schedule for the  
Commission for the 2026 calendar year, including the update. The  
Commission discussed having Parks & Recreation Department attend in  
February and to present along with Koda Inman-Ahlstrom with DASA. The  
Commission also discussed for March, the current plan is to have the  
Director of the City Airport attend as well as someone from Services for  
Independent Living.  
VIII. REPORTS  
Future Agenda Items  
No further report.  
Chair  
No report.  
Staff Report  
Adam Kruse provided an update that there will not be any increases to  
Board or Commission Budgets for the next fiscal. Adam Kruse provides an  
update on the proposed pedestrian safety ordinance and that it is  
scheduled for public comment and vote at the first Council meeting in  
February.  
MU Committee on Persons with Disabilities  
No report.  
Safe Streets for All Working Group  
John Bowders says that this board can be referred to as Vision Zero, Safe  
Streets or CoMo to Zero. John Bowders talks about some of the statistics  
from last year including that fatalities, crashes and significant injuries from  
automobiles were all down in 2025 compared to 2024. John Bowders also  
spoke about the Pedestrian Comfort Level Map which is expected to be  
out in May or June. And that the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission is  
expected to have three openings in June. John Bowders talked about an  
upcoming webinar called “Killed by a Traffic Engineer” and discusses how  
people can register.  
Airport Steering Committee  
John Bowders says that this board can be referred to as Vision Zero, Safe  
Streets or CoMo to Zero. John Bowders talks about some of the statistics  
from last year including that fatalities, crashes and significant injuries from  
automobiles were all down in 2025 compared to 2024. John Bowders also  
spoke about the Pedestrian Comfort Level Map which is expected to be  
out in May or June. And that the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission is  
expected to have three openings in June. John Bowders talked about an  
upcoming webinar called “Killed by a Traffic Engineer” and discusses how  
people can register.  
IX. GENERAL COMMENTS BY PUBLIC, MEMBERS AND STAFF  
Alexis Simmerman commented that Alexis will have to miss the February  
meeting.  
Ann Marie Gortmaker commented on interest in the upcoming webinar that  
John Bowders talked about and also commented on the great opportunity  
available for the upcoming vacancies on the Bicycle Pedestrian  
Commission.  
Cathy Dolles commented that Cathy is on the Mayor’s Council on Phyiscal  
Fitness and Health, and there is an upcoming Wellness Fair on February  
28, 2026.  
X. NEXT MEETING DATE: February 12, 2026  
XI. ADJOURNMENT  
Alexis Simmerman made a motion to adjourn. Rene Powell seconded the  
motion. The meeting adjourned at 4:06 p.m.